Microchip Off the Old Block
by ScorplinginTraining
Summary: When Ralph graduates from tweenager to teenager he will present interesting challenges for Walter and Paige. How will Walter react when parenting gets real?


MICROCHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

 **AN: I'm working on Waiging War, I promise. I've kinda hit a wall with it and it's a bit more work anyway, but I'll get back to it soon. That said, I've had this scenario bouncing around in my mind for a few days. Angsty fluff is much easier to write than something with a plot, so... here we are.**

 **I'm working the whole holiday weekend, but I'd still be very thankful for your reviews!**

 **P.S. That last line is for Diangie. Thanks for the suggestion, friend! It really does wrap it up better.**

 **OXOXOXOXO**

It was entirely his fault.

An agitated Walter O'Brien paced a hole in the tile of the Emergency Department's waiting room, weaving through the uncomfortable vinyl chairs and dodging the other people huddling in miserable clumps around the room. The wailing babies and the relentless racket of the requisite television mounted in one corner, tuned into a twenty-four hour news station (as if that would ever soothe anyone's suffering), even the hushed whispers and groans of the injured and ill, all of it made him want to scream for peace and quiet.

He should've _never_ bought that ridiculous contraption in the first place… Or brought it home to the garage and into Ralph's sphere. He would destroy it himself it hadn't already been irrevocably reduced to a smoking pile of wreckage.

He'd known exactly what a temptation it would present for Ralph. After all, Walter was well aware of which 'toys' would attract a young genius with a restless mind and a craving for speed-induced adrenaline, the occasional slave of the random illogical impulse.

If the boy sustained any permanent damage… Just the thought of him being hurt made it hard to breathe.

It was intolerable.

Yes, he'd made Ralph promise not to touch it unless he or Happy were right there with him. But after the three of them spent weeks tweaking and modifying and talking excitedly about the implications and uses, what thirteen year old boy with his first real crush could resist showing it off?

Ralph had no reason to obey or listen to him anyway. The amazing young man wasn't Walter's son. No matter how many times the older genius forgot that irrefutable fact because his feelings of protectiveness and attachment insisted the opposite was true. No matter how completely the two of them understood one another. No matter how much he wished it was so. No matter how much he loved that kid. No one could argue with biology.

Besides, Walter would be a lousy parent. This latest incident proved it.

The team had recently landed its first extremely lucrative job since Cabe was acquitted and they had enjoyed a much-needed and sizeable influx of capital. Walter wanted to celebrate not only Cabe's freedom, but paying off the mortgage on the garage and Scorpion's return to solvency.

That's when he'd bought the stupid jet pack.

Okay, it wasn't technically legal to own one, but Happy knew a guy who dealt in military surplus. Not always strictly honestly. This man had helped out the team more than once when they were looking for odd equipment they needed for a case and didn't have time for the red tape which often accompanies the proper channels. And even better, he didn't ask too many questions. It seemed like such a good idea to take the slightly illegal device off his hands. They were simply returning one of many favors.

Sylvester tried to tell Walter it was hazardous, but he hadn't listened because Sly had always been scared of almost everything the Scorpion leader considered fun.

Toby tried to tell him the purchase meant he was subconsciously trying to win the boy's loyalty and affection because Ralph had been in contact with Drew on his thirteenth birthday. The psychiatrist tried to remind Walter he was already Ralph's preferred father figure. However, he hadn't listened because… Well, it was Toby.

Worst of all, Paige had strongly objected. And she was right as usual. She tried to warn him this kind of thing would happen.

Walter didn't think about the dangerous implications. He only thought about the fun he and Ralph and Happy would have fixing it up and trying it out together. And perhaps finally getting a much coveted patent for improvements.

Now he could admit he'd also wanted to be a 'cool dad'. Make Ralph's friends a little envious of their unique relationship while he and the boy spent time together doing something they both loved.

Hindsight might be twenty-twenty, but it was useless to look back and second guess choices already made. He couldn't seem to help rehashing the past few hours and his asinine mistakes though.

He and Paige had left Ralph at the garage with Sylvester so they could go grocery shopping, get some vehicle maintenance done and catch up on various other mundane tasks. Patty was there working on alderman business with Sly. So, of course Ralph opted to stay behind, saying they didn't require his assistance to run errands and pointing out how bored he would be tagging along. They'd had no qualms about letting him stay at the garage, albeit minimally supervised, since the mathematician was occupied with writing a dumbed-down version of a speech.

Walter didn't think twice about it. He was completely focused on the list of things they needed to get done.

Some genius he turned out to be. It was no wonder the Vor collective didn't want him back. He really didn't _think_. Period.

Now Ralph was never going to forgive his stupidity.

Never mind Paige. Their relationship was over.

And he would somehow endure those much deserved consequences if Ralph was alright. He would make it right even if he had to do it from afar.

When a frantic Sylvester called to tell them Ralph had snuck the jet pack out onto the roof, crashed it and an ambulance was on its way, the two of them dropped everything and almost set a new land speed record getting to the hospital. They didn't converse much on the drive because Paige was still on the phone trying to calm an extremely distressed Sly while simultaneously attempting to get information about her son's condition.

Once they reached the ER he'd dropped the worried mother at the entrance and went to park the car. By the time he sprinted inside, the hospital staff had taken his girlfriend back to be with her son and he was told only one visitor at a time was allowed in the treatment room. Since Ralph was a minor it had to be a parent or guardian.

Walter loudly argued with the receptionist, the nurses and ultimately the armed security guard who was currently eyeing him with distrust from a seat in the waiting room where the genius was relegated to stew in agony not knowing what was happening behind those silent, accusatory, closed doors.

He was about ready to break down those doors if he had to tackle twenty people to do it. Momentum was very useful. Especially if it wasn't expected.

An all too sedate nurse in ludicrous lavender scrubs with cartoon rabbits gamboling all over them, walked calmly into the lobby. As one, everyone looked up when she asked, "Is there a Walter O'Brien out here?"

He instantly sprang over to her. "That's me. What is it? Is Ralph okay? Where is he? Can I see him?" His words burst out like machine gun bullets.

She smiled in a patronizing way that made him want to throw her out of the way so he could get to Paige and Ralph. "Your son has a broken arm. It's a rather bad break. It's going to require surgery. But he won't let the doctors take him back to the OR before he's spoken with you. I'm afraid he's most insistent. Could you follow me, please?"

Follow her? He wanted to shove her aside and run. Trying to stop focusing on the woman's irritating, squeaky shoes as she ambled too slowly down the hall, he looked up and noticed the back of the her shirt had a caption on it. It read 'Hug somebunny today'. Walter never hated rabbits more. In that moment he wanted to punt one instead.

His heart pounding, he hesitated briefly outside the treatment room after the nurse tapped once on the closed door and stepped inside. This was it. He deserved whatever Ralph and Paige said to him. He just wanted to know if the boy was going to be okay or if he could do anything to help.

Ralph was growing up quickly, but he still looked like a little kid on the bed, his face the same stark white as the sheets and pillowcase. Walter noticed his forehead had a scrape and one cheek had a contusion that was slowly turning purple and squeezing the boy's eye to a slit. The injured arm was in an inflatable immobilizer.

Paige was standing at the side rail stroking her son's hair trying not to look distraught.

Hovering close to the footboard, Walter frowned while his fists involuntarily clenched. Angry. So angry this happened. That _he_ allowed it to happen. It was all _his_ fault.

Ralph waved his good hand weakly in greeting, his lower lip quivering. He looked small and petrified.

Then he said the last thing Walter expected. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad. I'll pay to replace it. I ruined it. I ruined your jet pack."

"What?" Walter croaked.

"I didn't mean to. I thought I could handle it. You were right. I shouldn't have touched it without your permission. I'm so sorry, Dad."

Walter was at the bedside in two strides and carefully gathered the injured boy into his arms. His throat was so tight, he could only manage, "Oh, Ralph."

Ralph started crying softly into his shoulder as Walter patted his back fighting tears of his own. "I'll get us another one. I can mow lawns…," the kid sniffled, voice muffled in his dad's shirt.

Utterly astounded, Walter laid the boy gently back against the pillow and when he was finally able to respond, the humbled grown man said, "I don't give a _damn_ about the jet pack. Jet packs are unnecessary and replaceable. Two things _you_ most certainly are not! There's only one Ralph. I'm just so sorry you were hurt. I don't know what I'd do if…" His voice broke and he stopped, blinking furiously.

A much happier-seeming Ralph looked at his mother who was giving them both a rather watery smile. "Since I'm going to be okay and you guys aren't mad, am I still grounded, Mom?"

"You'd better believe it. We'll discuss it later," she answered, shaking her head.

The youngster gave Walter a look of chagrin, then he squeezed his dad's hand and said enthusiastically with a wide grin, "SO worth it. It. Was. _Awesome_!"

That surprised a chuckle out of both anxious parents.

The orderlies chose that moment to interrupt the little family.

Walter stood and grasped Ralph's good hand as his mother kissed his forehead.

"Love you, Buddy," Walter said as the boy was being wheeled out the door, "We'll be right here when you wake up."

Paige slipped her arm around her boyfriend's waist and murmured, "Dad, huh? I kinda like the sound of it."

Turning to Paige so he could hug her properly, he replied, "Me too. Am I grounded as well?"

She nodded and smiling wryly, answered, "You'd better believe it."


End file.
